OK, so this post is not about an adventure with my fellow knife and forkers. So what is it about? Well thank you for asking.
With just under four weeks to our next Knife and Fork Adventure I'm having blogging withdrawals. So, my new found love of blogging combined with a birthday and a pending Italian holiday has led me to share this weeks foodie experience with you. Buzo, Woollahra.
An Italian trattoria set in a delightful 2 story building in Jersey Road was the site of a birthday celebration. Combined with my own little celebration- a pending Italian vacation. Good thing the guest of honour likes Italian food too!
The menu was considered. To start some antipasti. A sublime baked gnocchi with walnuts and gozgonzola stole our hearts. Gorgeously cooked scallops with crushed chickpeas, chilli and lemon also took our fancy.
With a selection of pasta and other dishes for secondi, we settled on a mushroom and pancetta lasagne and a freshly caught fillet of gemfish. To share of course! Washed down nicely with a bottle of chianti.
As I pondered my Italian vacation, where to go, what to do, what cooking school to discover, I felt most at home. Buzo- thank you for sharing.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Spice Temple, A World Away.
In the depths of a building on Bligh Street, Sydney, our second adventure took place. Spice Temple, Neil Perry's take on modern Chinese. Reminiscent of an opium den (actually, I'm really not sure that it was reminiscent of an opium den, given I've never been to one, but work with me, I'm trying to set a scene here!) I felt like I was a world away.
The smell of spice filled the dimly lit air as we welcomed two new adventurers to the fold.
The menu was delightful. Spice combined with fresh herbs and flavours.
"Three shot chicken. I'm sure he cooked that on Poh's cooking show," said adventurer L.
"I think that's the one they make at your table?"
"Like restaurant theatre?" my sister proposed.
After our waiter explained that those items on the menu in red were the hottest, we settled on our order.
An entree of eggplant, garlic, coriander and sweet pork mince arrived in a beautifully hand crafted bowl. As the waiter tossed it before our eyes our anticipation rose. The combination of flavours was amazing, and this, most definitely, was my dish of the night.
As we filled steamed bread pockets with cumin spiced lamb I was one happy adventurer.
The three shot chicken arrived. Shots of Chinese larger, soy sauce and chilli oil were added at the table, as the dish was left to simmer before our eyes. The flavours were divine.
We shared our favourite Sydney foodie finds, from markets to hole in the wall noodle houses while enjoying other treats. Dumplings; roast pork belly with coriander, red onion, peanuts and sesame seeds; and a dish of braised duck with tofu, dried chestnuts and baby leeks.
We dared to glace at the desert menu. The "cheeky palate cleanser" and warm pineapple cake with caramel cream appealed. But alas, we were beaten.
As I glanced around the busy space a buzz of contentment filled the room. I really did feel a million miles away.
The smell of spice filled the dimly lit air as we welcomed two new adventurers to the fold.
The menu was delightful. Spice combined with fresh herbs and flavours.
"Three shot chicken. I'm sure he cooked that on Poh's cooking show," said adventurer L.
"I think that's the one they make at your table?"
"Like restaurant theatre?" my sister proposed.
After our waiter explained that those items on the menu in red were the hottest, we settled on our order.
An entree of eggplant, garlic, coriander and sweet pork mince arrived in a beautifully hand crafted bowl. As the waiter tossed it before our eyes our anticipation rose. The combination of flavours was amazing, and this, most definitely, was my dish of the night.
As we filled steamed bread pockets with cumin spiced lamb I was one happy adventurer.
The three shot chicken arrived. Shots of Chinese larger, soy sauce and chilli oil were added at the table, as the dish was left to simmer before our eyes. The flavours were divine.
We shared our favourite Sydney foodie finds, from markets to hole in the wall noodle houses while enjoying other treats. Dumplings; roast pork belly with coriander, red onion, peanuts and sesame seeds; and a dish of braised duck with tofu, dried chestnuts and baby leeks.
We dared to glace at the desert menu. The "cheeky palate cleanser" and warm pineapple cake with caramel cream appealed. But alas, we were beaten.
As I glanced around the busy space a buzz of contentment filled the room. I really did feel a million miles away.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Agenda is Set
Where to next I hear you ask...
After a call for agenda items (i.e mouth watering destinations for our future adventures) we have settled on a location for our next meeting. Spice Temple, Neil Perry's take on modern Chinese. http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/spice-temple/
I look forward to sharing the outcome of our adventure with you.
After a call for agenda items (i.e mouth watering destinations for our future adventures) we have settled on a location for our next meeting. Spice Temple, Neil Perry's take on modern Chinese. http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/spice-temple/
I look forward to sharing the outcome of our adventure with you.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The inaugural meeting...A tavola, Darlinghurst
Ushered past the communal dining table to a court yard out the back, a tavola is more than meets the eye.
From our warmly lit table, my food loving sister declared, "I'd like to call the first meeting of Adventures with Knife and Fork to an open."
On the first Tuesday in May, my fellow adventurers and I met for our inaugural meeting. Adventures with Knife and Fork is an effort to gather our food loving friends together for some gastronomical delights. A tavola, Darlinghurst, was on tonight's agenda.
The menu written solely in Italian was recited to us by our host, who did an amazing job at not only remembering, but describing each meal in sufficient detail to have our collective mouths watering.
"Is it sacrilege to come to a tavola and not have pasta?" I wondered.
I decided it was.
Fresh papardelle with lamb ragu cooked with borlotti beans, mint, rosemary and tomatoes. Mmmmm yum!
Amongst the orders of my fellow adventurers were several of the fresh pasta dishes from the menu, including stracchi and gnocchi, an asparagus and witlof salad and of course, an Italian red.
"Who would play us in a movie?" someone declared. Amongst laughter we decided that that was business worth considering at our next meeting.
My papardelle arrived. The lamb melted in my mouth and as a hush fell over the table it was clear the other adventurers were enjoying their meals as much as I was.
What else was on the agenda...food, recipes, diets, husbands/partners/dates, fashion and trashy tv.
Arriving shortly after, at the table next to us, was the fashion week crew. While I wondered how they would cope with eating carbs at that hour I was not to be put off my desert...all in the name of research of course. "I'll have the baked alaska please". A chocolate sponge, with coffee gelato, meringue and caramel sauce.
The alaska arrived and received mixed reviews. "Is that meringue or marshmallow?" one of the adventurers pondered, prodding her fork into the meringue. All I could determine was that it was sweet gooey heaven and I was pleased that I had opted to share.
As our first meeting drew to an end we left a tavola, filled with the warmth of our first adventure and I quietly wondered...perhaps I could be Maggie Gyllenhaal?
From our warmly lit table, my food loving sister declared, "I'd like to call the first meeting of Adventures with Knife and Fork to an open."
On the first Tuesday in May, my fellow adventurers and I met for our inaugural meeting. Adventures with Knife and Fork is an effort to gather our food loving friends together for some gastronomical delights. A tavola, Darlinghurst, was on tonight's agenda.
The menu written solely in Italian was recited to us by our host, who did an amazing job at not only remembering, but describing each meal in sufficient detail to have our collective mouths watering.
"Is it sacrilege to come to a tavola and not have pasta?" I wondered.
I decided it was.
Fresh papardelle with lamb ragu cooked with borlotti beans, mint, rosemary and tomatoes. Mmmmm yum!
Amongst the orders of my fellow adventurers were several of the fresh pasta dishes from the menu, including stracchi and gnocchi, an asparagus and witlof salad and of course, an Italian red.
"Who would play us in a movie?" someone declared. Amongst laughter we decided that that was business worth considering at our next meeting.
My papardelle arrived. The lamb melted in my mouth and as a hush fell over the table it was clear the other adventurers were enjoying their meals as much as I was.
What else was on the agenda...food, recipes, diets, husbands/partners/dates, fashion and trashy tv.
Arriving shortly after, at the table next to us, was the fashion week crew. While I wondered how they would cope with eating carbs at that hour I was not to be put off my desert...all in the name of research of course. "I'll have the baked alaska please". A chocolate sponge, with coffee gelato, meringue and caramel sauce.
The alaska arrived and received mixed reviews. "Is that meringue or marshmallow?" one of the adventurers pondered, prodding her fork into the meringue. All I could determine was that it was sweet gooey heaven and I was pleased that I had opted to share.
As our first meeting drew to an end we left a tavola, filled with the warmth of our first adventure and I quietly wondered...perhaps I could be Maggie Gyllenhaal?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)